Huntington Beach : 6 Suspects Arrested in 1981 Assault at Beach

Six Santa Fe Springs men were arrested early Wednesday on indictments returned by the Orange County Grand Jury in connection with a 1981 gang rape and knife attack at Huntington Beach State Park.

Sheriff’s deputies from Orange and Los Angeles counties and investigators from the Orange County district attorney’s office made the arrests in Santa Fe Springs, Deputy Dist. Atty. Maury Evans announced. The seventh suspect, whose name was being withheld, was not located and remains at large.

The Orange County Grand Jury returned seven indictments based on new information developed in the past six months by the district attorney’s office, Evans said.

“It was information from someone whom we wish to remain anonymous to protect personal safety,” Evans said.

David Cadena, 22, Gregory Franco, 26, Anthony Ramirez, 26, Ralph Perez Jr., 21, Arthur Esquivel, 20, and Thomas Gomez, 24, all of Santa Fe Springs, were identified as the suspects. The indictments allege six counts of “gang rape,” six counts of “gang oral copulation,” two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of conspiracy to commit rape.

The suspects are being held in Los Angeles County Jail and will probably be arraigned in Orange County Central Municipal Court next week, Evans said. Bail is set at $250,000 each.

According to authorities, the case involves the Aug. 15, 1981, assault and sexual assault of an adult couple identified only as Evelyn H. and Robert B. The couple had gone to Huntington State Beach at about 2:30 a.m. for a campfire.

A group of seven or eight males attacked Robert B., holding a knife to his throat, kicking him and rendering him unconscious. Several of the males subsequently accosted the woman.